We keep things pretty solidly rectangular around here, but once in a while there’s an opportunity to do something a little different and Marc took advantage of that here. Oddly enough, panel layout experimentation seems to involve Tangerine more often than not. Go ahead and click on his tag below to see what I mean.
See you back here on Monday as we rejoin the Spy Gal-Zurida fight and head into the climax for this chapter!
Points for good intentions….. And distance. Poor dude. Give him a new hat already.
I feel like (and hope!) that that will happen when he finally is accepted as hero. That would be a hell of a poignant dramatic touch!
Oh, poor Sam. He just can’t catch a break.
Poor Sam…he tries so hard to do the right thing.
Still, I wonder what would happen when Tangerine learns that one of his sons died during all of this … If I can recall correctly. š
Tangerine actually DOES know that his son is dead, as you can see right here: http://superfogeys.com/2012/10/22/451-will-tangerine-help/ . Not many people were happy with that reaction.
It’s just coming across as too fast a change vs. decades of killing. Even Dr. Rocket is changing much, true, but still slowly- and HE was just given a death sentence! But Tangerine’s been reading holy texts for… how long has he been imprisoned for killing Herman? …and all of a sudden, he doesn’t even blink an eye for the son he was once willing to kill his own wife for? Now he’s even cementing this (seeming) tunnel vision by automatically assuming that this guy who SAYS he’s good (and has provided no PROOF) is good, even though he came in with, and completely obedient to, Zurida?
I theorize that a lot of us are suffering from character change whiplash with Tangerine. Less of a question of “How could he ever do THAT?”, and more of a question of “Wait, WHY??”
Of course knowing, Mssrs. Heasley and LaPierre, how subtle you are, and how Homerian your plotlines are, Messieur Heasley, I still will NOT be surprised to find that all will be revealed, in time. I fully expect to be surprised to be surprised by what is revealed, though.
Keep up the good work, guys!!!
As always, I appreciate the honest critique. Just so long as someone isn’t saying “IT SUCKS!” (with no explanation) I’m pretty good with whatever anyone wants to say, good or bad.
Without giving anything away, I’ll grant you that Tangerine’s change has been a little fast when you consider the totality of his life, but I’ve seen change like that happen that fast time and time again, so I think it’s a little more plausible than perhaps you do. Also, a lot of this change has happened off-panel. Tangerine has been absent for long stretches from the strip–he’s missed whole chapters!–and in the timeline I have in my head it’s been about 4-5 months since he killed Herman.
As for his reaction to his son being killed… I would argue that he very much did blink, but, for him, it was a test. The ultimate test, as it were. And he passed. He didn’t repent of his pacifism and he accepted his son’s death. You may disagree with his pacifism, but I think you have to admire the fact that he drew a moral line in the sand and he didn’t cross it.
Again, I get that these are tough pills to swallow. With Tangerine, I made a conscious decision to try something I’ve never seen before–essentially turn the Punisher into a pacifist/spiritual man. It’s a bit heightened and a bit silly at times (see: Percy), but those parts are in keeping with the nature of a “comic” strip, in my mind.
I hate it when creators defend their work, so I hope I haven’t crossed that line here. I just felt like you were asking good questions and deserved some answers. None of what I’ve said above matters one bit if I haven’t done any of this WELL. For you, you’re saying, no, you haven’t done this well. And you’re right to ask why that is.
I know where I’m going with this story and maybe that will change your perception of it when you see it all play out, but maybe not. I like to play in SF. Try new things. For me, it’s okay if not everything works out because at least I’m not sticking with the same old thing all the time. I’m experimenting. Tangerine is one of those experiments and it remains to be seen if it works out or not. I’m okay if it doesn’t, but I hope, eventually, it does.
Anyways, thanks for the kudos and your thoughtfulness!
You are absolutely welcome, Sir! As for defending yourself to death (rather than to THE death), don’t worry. Your track record for making *all* plot questions clear in time is 100% success.
Tangerine *seems* all of the things that I’ve mentioned, but I have learned not to assume in Valhalla! The only truly unpleasant (a.k.a. not jarring in any intentional way) surprise will be if I’m not surprised by him after *all* is revealed.
And I don’t think you have that in you. š
Aww poor Sam… š
Personally I’m still amused at a pacifist Tangerine. To me, it’s the ultimate payback both for the crap he pulled before and the whole character archetype.
Although wanna pause on the idea of reforming “the Punisher” — were you referring to THE Punisher (AKA grumpy-face-skull-shirt-guns-man) or just the archetype?
Scott, yes, I only meant the Punisher archetype. I’ve always seen Tangerine as a Punisher/Wolverine hybrid, so that’s what I’m playing with.
With Money Man Sam killed someone who had no powers. With Percy he just punched someone who can probably survive being hit. Yes, he should be disappointed with himself right now, but probably won’t sink back into his prior depression.
Since no-one else is saying it: good to see sardonic Swifty back. It’s not that I want him to be bitter, but that he is a TERRIFIC bitter old straight man to the lunacy that goes on around him when he gets angry.
(and I didn’t say it at the time, but his anger also makes an AWESOME dramatic foil to suspenseful situations. When he called the Society of Heroes in action, I got actual goosebumps. Brock, you and Marc just made those strips perfect.)
Yes, I have to admit I’ve enjoyed Swifty very much these past two strips. Thanks for telling me about your goosebumps–that’s AWESOME.
No Sam, do not be ashamed of your actions here. You were coming to the aid of someone actually fighting for justice this time. So hold your Ushanka Hat highly, and wait a few minutes Percy will be fine. Now let’s turn that power punch on his mom, you will punch a woman won’t you?
Oh poor Sam, he just can’t catch a break….
Don’t worry Sam, you can’t kill this guy that easy…though he might be a bit upset with you so may want to duck or something.